41...PROPHETS & LOSSES ACCOUNTS
Based on 2 Kings (2K) Chs. 2-25 Read more there...
Based on 2 Kings (2K) Chs. 2-25 Read more there...
Elijah has just been taken up into heaven. That
he will one day return becomes part of Jewish expectations. He
is succeeded now by Elisha [2K 2] who shedding his own
clothes, takes up Elijah's cloak, & immediately performs a
'miracle' at the Jordan by using Elijah's cloak to roll the
waters back! He is then credited with bringing about the deaths
of some cheeky boys at the paws of a pair of bears! Apparently
you're either on Elisha's, that is to say, God's side, or look
out! Ch.3 reports yet another war, then Chs.4-8
tell a string of 'miracles' Elisha 'works', some of them a bit
odd! Of note are a miraculous feeding of a widow & the birth
of a son to another woman from Shunem, & the restoration to
life of that child after his death, reminiscent of Elijah. Then
comes an incident with soup, & a multiplication of food more
a-la-Jesus this time as is the healing from skin disease of
Naaman, an enemy Aramaean general [Ch. 5]. Crossing such
boundaries of race & religion later becomes a mark of Jesus'
ministry among people of His day. Naaman's healing is soured
when Elisha's servant, Gehazi, tries to make capital for himself
by accepting a reward from Naaman that Elisha himself has just
refused! Gehazi's punishment is to become inflicted with the
skin disease from which Naaman has been cured. Chs. 9-13 then
meander through the politics of Judea & Israel until in Ch.13:14+
Elisha dies. Chs.14-17 meander again through the
politics of Judea & Israel but then the story changes
dramatically - forever - when in 721 BC., partly as a result of
Israel double-dealing with Egypt, the Assyrians lay siege to
& capture Samaria, capital of the northern kingdom. This is
stated very matter-of-factly in 17:5-6 & this is
then amplified by a commentary. Of particular interest as
background to the NT. are vv. 24-41 which
tell how the Samaritans come into being through the Assyrian
policy of re-settling other peoples among the remaining
Israelites who then intermarry with them.
In Ch.18 the focus switches to the southern kingdom of Judea. Hezekiah (716-687 BC.) a young king faithful to YHWH, & a reformer comes to the throne & is introduced in vv.1-8. Among other acts of spiritual spring-cleaning he destroys the bronze snake known as Nehushtan the Hebrews have apparently carried with them from their travelling in the wilderness days & turned into a god (N1). Hezekiah will have none of this kind of nonsense! We then go on to hear about incursions by the Assyrians that threaten the continuing existence of Judea too. At this point, in Ch.19 the next great Prophet, Isaiah, emerges to give counsel to Hezekiah & spiritual leadership to the people (N2). After Hezekiah's progressive reforms, he is succeeded by two bad kings (Ch.21). They in turn are followed by another reformer faithful to YHWH, Josiah, who comes to the throne as a child. Some significant events during his reign include: 1) the discovery of the 'Book of the Law', almost certainly the book we know as Deuteronomy, in the Temple [Chs.22:3 - 23:30]. Josiah causes it to be read in public & its laws promulgated. This includes the keeping of Passover once again, a practice that had lapsed; 2) a woman Prophet, Hulda, emerges (22:14+); & 3) due to Assyria becoming weakened, Josiah extends his influence into the former northern country of Israel now known as Samaria (23:16+). After a fine wrap-up [23: 24-25] Josiah, one of the best of their kings is killed in battle against the Egyptians. In Ch.24 the Babylonians under Nebuchadnezzar & who by now have defeated the Assyrians & taken over the ascendancy in that part of the world make incursions into Judea. They plunder Jerusalem & deport the then king & his family & officials together with thousands of the leading artisans to Babylon. There is worse to come. The Babylonians soon return to complete the job [Ch. 25]. This time they destroy Jerusalem including the Temple, & deport many of the remaining residents to Babylon (N3). 2K25 brings Judaism as it has been to an ignominious end. As the NJV puts it succinctly, 'Thus Judah was deported from its country' [v.21]. Nothing will ever be the same again for Jewish people - anywhere & everywhere! But that's another story...42: Religiously Re-editing
(N1) See Ep.31 on Numbers for the incident of the snakes. (N2) Like Elijah & Elisha, Isaiah is later a great influence on Jesus. We'll learn more of him when we reach the book that bears his name. (N3) 587BC. This begins the period of the Babylonian captivity, a period of about 50 yrs. Question: How open ended do we / does God see our personal ups & downs as being?
In Ch.18 the focus switches to the southern kingdom of Judea. Hezekiah (716-687 BC.) a young king faithful to YHWH, & a reformer comes to the throne & is introduced in vv.1-8. Among other acts of spiritual spring-cleaning he destroys the bronze snake known as Nehushtan the Hebrews have apparently carried with them from their travelling in the wilderness days & turned into a god (N1). Hezekiah will have none of this kind of nonsense! We then go on to hear about incursions by the Assyrians that threaten the continuing existence of Judea too. At this point, in Ch.19 the next great Prophet, Isaiah, emerges to give counsel to Hezekiah & spiritual leadership to the people (N2). After Hezekiah's progressive reforms, he is succeeded by two bad kings (Ch.21). They in turn are followed by another reformer faithful to YHWH, Josiah, who comes to the throne as a child. Some significant events during his reign include: 1) the discovery of the 'Book of the Law', almost certainly the book we know as Deuteronomy, in the Temple [Chs.22:3 - 23:30]. Josiah causes it to be read in public & its laws promulgated. This includes the keeping of Passover once again, a practice that had lapsed; 2) a woman Prophet, Hulda, emerges (22:14+); & 3) due to Assyria becoming weakened, Josiah extends his influence into the former northern country of Israel now known as Samaria (23:16+). After a fine wrap-up [23: 24-25] Josiah, one of the best of their kings is killed in battle against the Egyptians. In Ch.24 the Babylonians under Nebuchadnezzar & who by now have defeated the Assyrians & taken over the ascendancy in that part of the world make incursions into Judea. They plunder Jerusalem & deport the then king & his family & officials together with thousands of the leading artisans to Babylon. There is worse to come. The Babylonians soon return to complete the job [Ch. 25]. This time they destroy Jerusalem including the Temple, & deport many of the remaining residents to Babylon (N3). 2K25 brings Judaism as it has been to an ignominious end. As the NJV puts it succinctly, 'Thus Judah was deported from its country' [v.21]. Nothing will ever be the same again for Jewish people - anywhere & everywhere! But that's another story...42: Religiously Re-editing
(N1) See Ep.31 on Numbers for the incident of the snakes. (N2) Like Elijah & Elisha, Isaiah is later a great influence on Jesus. We'll learn more of him when we reach the book that bears his name. (N3) 587BC. This begins the period of the Babylonian captivity, a period of about 50 yrs. Question: How open ended do we / does God see our personal ups & downs as being?
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